Vail & Beaver Creek Review

The place you would have grown up skiing if your parents/grandparents had tried a little harder.

Growing up skiing the east coast in the pre-internet era you only knew what you knew. For me that was the Poconos and if you were lucky and one of your friends’ family had an extra spot in their cabin, a trip up to Vermont. I could only dream about going “out West” skiing, but saw the sweatshirts and knew the names of where my more affluent friends went for Christmas – Breckenridge, Telluride, Aspen and Vail.

Coming out here was like an alternate reality of what was possible had our ancestors not stopped in New Jersey but kept pushing West as so many pioneering folks did. This is possible and some people live here and ski these amazing mountains every day or every weekend. My reality is only mine, but there is another way, just like when you watch the X-Game now vs. 15 years ago. The tricks that these athletes are doing now are on an entirely different level versus what was done 15 years ago. It’s almost a completely different sport. Where was I going with this? Oh yeah, that which is possible is only limited by the extent of what you can believe is possible. After talking with several folks who live in the Beaver Creek and Vail areas full time, I now know what is possible.

Grab a cup of coffee, because this in in-depth. Here’s out trip to Beaver Creek and Vail.

Beaver Creek

Dining

Staying in Beaver Creek meant that the majority of our dining was done in the village. It was a short walk to the village and more importantly a short walk back to our condo, no car required. After a long day of travel and trouble checking in, we just wanted to grab something quick and easy. The Coyote Cafe was just what we were wanted. First thing I noticed was their extensive margarita menu on display over the bar. They seemed a bit understaffed or maybe just busier than expected on a Tuesday night, but they had TGR movies playing on the TVs, a solid menu including Mexican fare, burgers, salads and some of the best chips and salsa I’ve ever had. The chips were crispy and not greasy while the salsa was thick and spicy. Tremendous!

The Skiing

A few weeks ago, shortly after finalizing our trip, I was streaming some classic Warren Miller films. One of those was “No Turning Back” from 2014 which featured a segment on the World Cup races at Beaver Creek. To be honest, I really didn’t know too much about Beaver Creek besides a few stories from friends who had stayed there a few years back. They said it was bougie, but didn’t really get into the details of the skiing. Since we had opted to stay there and there was a foot of fresh snow on the ground, we decided to ski there the first day.

Our condo was in a pretty choice location between the Strawberry Park Express Lift and the Elkhorn Lift. One of the coolest features of Beaver Creek is all the “skiways” they have created connecting the slopes to the condos. This creates a ski-on/ski-off experience for a large number of different communities within the resort. That was one of my favorite features of the resort and it made it easy to get on and off the mountain.

We had a jackpot first day. About a foot of snow had fallen overnight and it didn’t stop snowing until the end of the afternoon. With those kind of conditions it would be pretty hard to have a bad day on the slopes. Beaver Creek is a very beginner and intermediate friendly mountain, with roughly 80% being blue and green slopes. Starting from the Elkhorn lift, it took us a few lifts to get over to a section that had more challenging terrain. That was the area serviced by the Larkspur and Grouse Mountain lifts. The conditions were so perfect that we just lapped those lifts for a hour-or-so. There were no lift lines and we kept yelling “wooooo-hoooo” and smiling every single time down. The photo below shows what the conditions looked like.

After that, we headed over to the Birds of Prey, Cinch and Centennial Express areas. These areas had diverse and challenging terrain. As we lapped the area, you could see the conditions changing with each run. The snow continued to fall and skiers and boarders found the choice spots usually right along the treeline. We finished the day in the Rose Bowl area, but at this point we could feel how beat-up our legs were. Knowing we had a few more days of skiing left we decided to end the day on that positive note.

Favorite Run: Screech Owl/Raven Ridge

Apres Ski

We ended our day at the Beav’ right at the top of the village between the Haymeadow Gondola and the Centennial Express Lift. Apres ski beers were definitely earned today! I did minimal research about where to go for apres, because I really wanted to be in the moment and let “Jesus Take the Wheel,” as they say. Our only guidelines when going to a bar or restaurant right off the mountain is to avoid the cliche-ly named establishment like Moguls, Double Diamonds, Powder or the like. This lead us to the C-Bar, which was connected to the Beaver Creek Chophouse. Maybe it was because it was Wednesday, but it was really quiet and nobody seemed particularly over-excited to reflect upon the amazing conditions we all just enjoyed out on the mountain.

Another recurring theme was the mediocre draft beer selections. Yes, most places had a nice selection of cans and bottles from local craft brewers, but the draft selections at most places were sub-par. Maybe it’s because I’m used to skiing in Vermont and every place has an epic selection of local beers from the best craft beer state in the country (boom, I said it). One of the beers we found quite often and ordered was the Deschutes Fresh Squeezed IPA, which is not a local beer (they’re out of Oregon), but is delicious.

Dining

Wednesday night we ventured down into the Avon village outside of Beaver Creek and dined at Vin48. This had been recommended by someone from Beaver Creek and it was a great recommendation. It’s a wine bar, but had one of the best draft beer selections we encountered anywhere on our trip. Both Nick and I had the Outer Range Hazy IPA on draft which was really hoppy, citrusy and delicious. It’s brewed in Frisco only about 30 minutes away so it must have been fresh! For my entree, I had the roasted duck breast, a bit of a departure from my usual wheelhouse, but is was done beautifully medium-rare and tasted exquisite. The roasted brussel sprouts, which must have had a little vinegar or something sour, were a delicious complement.

Thursday – Vail

The Skiing

After skiing Beaver Creek the first day, we headed over the Vail for the next two days. Thursday was another straight-up powder day. It had snowed all day the day before and dumped a little more overnight. Of course, the first thing we did was head to the famous back bowls. We had plenty of opportunities for fresh tracks and it was legendary. We did several laps off the Game Creek Express chair, then headed to the High Noon and Skyline lift areas. It was just unbelievable, the vastness of the terrain, the light fresh snow – everything was perfect. There were some lift lines which we didn’t quite expect on a Thursday, but it was a powder day, so not out of the ordinary.

Thursday was a really cold day and topped out at about 18° F. After a few hours of skiing, waiting in lift lines and sitting on cold lifts, we needed a little warm up. There weren’t too many options in options in the back bowls. Luckily, there was one spot, Belle’s Camp, where we could warm up and grab a coffee and water. Since it’s the only spot in the back bowls, just about everyone who was on the mountain with us, was also in Belle’s. It is not a very big facility, just a cabin and we were all jammed in there, which was good for staying warm.

Heading out of Belle’s we jumped into the Champagne Glades. We were having an awesome time picking our way through the glade when tragedy struck. Nick was making a turn and tweaked his knee. He wasn’t even sure what happened – it wasn’t a crash just an awkward turn. This was also the knee that he blew out his ACL on at Mammoth Mountain a few years ago. He had also just been at Whistler the weekend before which may have weakened it and this just pushed it too far.

As a precautionary measure, he took Kelly’s Toll Road, getting back to the front side and taking blue and green trails to get back to Lionshead, ending his day. Andrea and I tried to ski down with him but we got separated and our phones froze up since it was about 16° F at this point. The closest lodge to warm up was Golden Peak lodge but when we got there the power was out and none of the services were available. Our phones defrosted and found out that Nick was at Lionshead, so we tried to make our way over to Lionshead which is the other side of the mountain, more than a mile away. We ended up taking Gondola One which gave us a reprieve from the cold for a few minutes and had a plan to hit the Avanti Express, then take Eagle’s Nest to Born Free, get to Lionshead and call it a day.

This seemed like a great idea and at this point Andrea and I were both very cold and tired. Now I’m the kind of person, I make a plan and I stick to it, so all I could focus on was getting to that Avanti Express chairlift, which would allow us to get to Lionshead. I failed to look at signs showing we could’ve taken Gitalong Road almost all the way to Lionshead. Eh, no big deal right, hop on the lift get a few more turns in before calling it a day.

Someone forgot to tell the Avanti Express chairlift about our plans because about one minute into our lift ride, at the point where we were the furthest off the ground, the lift stopped and not one of those, a snowboarder-who-had-one-too-many-PBRs-fell-getting-off-the-lift stops, we’re talking STOPPED. Like I said, earlier, it was maybe 16° F at this point, the sun was starting to go down and the wind was really whipping up, especially being that high up on the mountain.

I heard some sort of message being broadcast from the lift station about Vail losing power, but couldn’t tell the exact message. Andrea was frigid at that point and I was trying to keep her warm, but could only do so much. After about 5 minutes, I was starting to get a little nervous because if what I heard was correct and the mountain lost power, how long would be stuck up there and how long would it take for them to get us down? After at least 10 minutes, the lift finally started back up and we both collectively let out a sigh of relief. I definitely got some grief for missing that sign that would’ve just taken us to Lionshead, but hey it built character, toughened us up and made that first apres ski beer taste even better. We resumed our plan to hit Eagle’s Nest to Born Free and drop underneath the Eagle Bahn gondola all the way down to the Lionshead base area.

That wasn’t even the first time we were stuck on a chair that day, we were stuck on the Tea Cup Express in the back bowls for a least a few minutes earlier in the day. The joy of the fresh pow, the lack of wind and having the sun in our faces, made that a lot more pleasant.

Favorite Run: Champagne Glade (until Nick got hurt)

Apres Ski

We were frigid at that point and needed to meet back up with Nick, who had been out in the car changing and warming up. There was no plan and we ended up at Bart and Yeti’s in the village for apres ski food and drink. Again, the beers on draft were a disappointment – Miller, Coors, Blue Moon, Sierra Nevada – nothing fun and local. Nick and I went w/ New Belgium Voodoo Ranger (in bottles) which is always solid, but something I can easily get at home. We were all starving at that point and I was steered by the waitress towards the French Dip sandwich, which did not disappoint.

Dinner

Thursday night we were experiencing serious decision paralysis but ended up making a reservation at the Golden Eagle Inn, based mostly on the great reviews we found on Yelp and Google. Among the three of us, this may have been the best meal of the trip. We ordered cocktails and my Manhattan and Nick’s Gibson were perfect. We devoured the bread and salad appetizers, then went on to the main course of roasted loin of ELK, which was cooked and seasoned perfectly. The only thing I would’ve changed was the size, it should’ve been twice the size and I would’ve happily and easily eaten it.

Friday – Vail Part 2

The Skiing

Nick’s knee wasn’t feeling right so it was just me and Andrea out there on Friday. There wasn’t any fresh snow, but the mountain was still in fantastic shape after all the snow from the previous two days. Our plan was to explore more of the front side of the mountain. When we got to the top, I took us back into the bowls because they were just so much fun.

We ended up doing a bunch of runs in the Game Creek Bowl then over at the Sun Up Bowl after following a bunch of kids in superhero costumes, because they definitely looked like they were going somewhere awesome. Eventually, we made it to the frontside as we initially intended, finding a run called First Step which went into Northstar that was surprisingly untraveled. It had some great moguls, and was in great shape. The run was so much fun and we ended up lapping it 3 times until the sun started going down and putting some serious shade on the runs. Of course, on the last trip up, the chairlift STOPPED again for a solid 3-4 minutes.

Favorite Run: First Step

Apres Ski

It would have been tragic to leave Vail without having made it out to the Red Lion, so that’s what where we went. We got there around 3:00 so we were still able to grab a table for a bite and a beer. Like a broken record, the draft beer selection was nothing special, but there were some yummy options in bottles and cans. I went with an Odd 13 – Codename: Superfan IPA, which was exactly the kind of beer you want hitting your lips after a long, hard day of skiing – fresh, crisp, flavorful and refreshing.

It paired wonderfully with my grilled fish tacos with avocado wedges. I’m a pretty tough critic when it comes to fish tacos, but these were outstanding (especially for being that far from the ocean). The fish was flavored with a bit of spice, perfectly cooked and had great fillings. Dropped a little drizzle of the cilantro-lime sauce and a bit of salsa on each taco and they were as close to perfect as a fish taco can be.

We wrapped up our late lunch/apres at the Red Lion and it started to get crazy packed. Even though it was early February, the sun was out and the outdoor section was mobbed. As someone who always has a judgmental eye on the situation, I noticed a large percentage of folks who were coming out for apres ski, but forgot the ski(or snowboard) part. There were no ski boots, goggle-tans, post-ski funk or messed-up helmet hair. Just Canada Goose jackets and whatever trendy, cute, faux technical-looking “in” boots were required to complete the look. These people go by many names – scenesters, poseurs, New Yorkers, etc. – but when they arrive on the scene, it’s time to move along, and move along we did.

Next stop was the Vail Brewing Company, but not the one in the village, we went to the real-deal brewery in Eagle-Vail. This epic location is also next to a weed shop and the Rocky Mountain Taco truck. Now this was our kind of place! Is there anything better than walking into a legit brewery that’s making IPAs (who’s not these days) and getting that smell of hops? I love that! They had a lot of great beers on draft and I went with the Lunar Nectar IPA. It did not disappoint and was my favorite beer of the trip – thick, hazy, citrusy and fresh.

We only stayed for one beer and as I was closing out our tab, I noticed a dude at the bar looking at my jacket. I was wearing a mid-layer, 3/4 pullover by a brand that doesn’t sponsor the podcast (so I shan’t mention their name) but on the right chest I have a “High Falutin Ski Bums” patch sewn on. The dude at the bar asked me about the podcast and said that he had listened to it! That was one of the coolest moments ever, because how random is it that a person at a brewery in Vail has listened to a podcast made by two guys, one in New Jersey and one in Florida?!?! I chatted with him and his buddy for a bit, gave them some stickers and headed off on our next adventure.

Dinner

Friday was our last night in town and after a late lunch and double apres ski we weren’t sure what to do for dinner. There were still plenty of options in the Beaver Creek village that we hadn’t tried, since another one of our dining policies is to never eat twice at the same place on the same trip. The first night when, we ended up going to the Coyote Cafe, Andrea had done some scouting while Nick and I dropped off supplies at the condo and her backup choice from Tuesday became our go-to on Friday – Revolution.

The atmosphere and ambiance of this place was excellent. They had a nicely stocked bar off to the side, captivating art and sculptures and an open kitchen. When we spoke to the waitress she told us the restaurant cooks everything by rotisserie and they had a wide range of different meats to choose.

(Authors note: editing this post, I just “got” that they’re a rotisserie restaurant and are called Revolution.)

I had to ask exactly what it was before ordering, but the porchetta that I got was outstanding. According to wikipedia:

Porchetta is a savoury, fatty, and moist boneless pork roast of Italian culinary tradition. The carcass is deboned, arranged carefully stuffed with liver, wild fennel, all fat and skin still on spitted, and/or roasted, traditionally over wood for 8+ hours.

One oddity that had to be mentioned – this is a restaurant with a bar, in a ski town, on a Friday night and it closed at 9? Maybe that’s just Beaver Creek and their modus operandi. It made us ponder a bigger question, if the mountain caters to an older, more-affluent crowd and according to many economists, we are near the end of one of the longest periods of economic prosperity, what does the future look like for Beaver Creek? I have no idea, I just want to ski, but if you consume too much from the next section you start to think about it…

The Cannabis

Maybe it’s cliche, or maybe it’s just the new normal, but when you go to Colorado, people always ask about weed/marijuana/cannabis. Looking at dispensary maps, you notice there isn’t anything in the towns of Vail and Beaver Creek. You have to go to the town in-between, Eagle-Vail, the “green-light” district of the county, with several strip malls, all containing at least one and sometimes two or more dispensaries.

I’m not sure if funny is the right word to describe it, but it is curious. We went to one, Rocky Road, and got some post-apres ski pain relief in various forms. The most helpful to all of us was the Sour Strawberry cannabis strain which helped ease the little aches and pains lingering after a great day of skiing. The most interesting was the Magic Buzz Sweet Dreams sleep aid. It contained 10mg of THC along with melatonin, valerian, lemon balm & chamomile. The bud tender told me it might be best to only take half and see how it goes. I took a little more than that and woke up a little paranoid around 1am (I was also jet-lagged and adjusting to the elevation) but after a quick bathroom pit-stop slept quite well. Next time I’ll just take the whole thing and see what happens.

Pre-conclusion Fancy Mountain Rant

As someone who loves real estate and mountain aesthetics, Beaver Creek felt like you were skiing at a country club (at times I felt like I shouldn’t be there!). In the lower sections where there is more beginner and intermediate terrain, you have these amazing houses nestled within the roads and trails going up the mountain. These aren’t just ski bum shacks either, these are crazy multi-multi-million dollar ski palaces. One thing you notice is many of them are empty. I know billionaires need to diversify and put their money somewhere, but it really drives me crazy to see this epic ski country real estate sitting there empty.

Am I jealous? Yes, because I’m trying to make my way into the mountains for a full-time occupancy and there is only a limited amount of land and property available for development on-and-around the mountain. This drives the prices up and make it unaffordable except to the very wealthy. Could I just work harder, make more money and buy my own ski palace, I guess so, but I think that ship might have sailed.

Based on my experience, If you’re the kind of family who wants to go to Beaver Creek or Vail, you want a luxurious ski vacation. You want to stay in a fancy hotel (like the Four Seasons), go out for fancy dinners, ski valet, etc. That entire experience is predicated on all of those hotels, restaurants, bars, ski shops having access to workers that can provide service that will match the expectations of those discerning customers.

I’m speaking a bit anecdotally, but I’ve talked with folks in Whistler and Jackson Hole who encounter the same problems. How can you get a staff capable of providing these customers’ high expectations, while also paying them a living wage that allows them to live anywhere near the I-70 corridor? I’m sure there is some employee housing for those who are young and single, but if you’re someone with a family, it must be almost impossible. I know I’m drifting way out of my lane, but it’s something that I think about a lot – the separation of haves and have-nots getting so great especially in affluent ski towns.

Conclusion

We had a wonderful time and want to give a MASSIVE Thank You to Jessie from Vail Resorts for helping us to get out there. I’ll be honest (like I haven’t been during this whole post), I don’t think I would’ve gone to Vail and Beaver Creek if I had to pay full-price for lift tickets. At $189 and $209 at the window, Beaver Creek and Vail are two of the most expensive places to ski in North America and probably the world.

Yes, I know you always buy your lift tickets in advance to avoid window prices (as High Falutin as we may get, we are ski bums first and foremost). As we’ve discussed on the podcast several times, the strategy of both the Epic and Ikon Passes seems to be trolling customers with outrageous ticket prices to incentivize them to pick up either an Ikon or Epic Pass at the beginning on the season. If Vail said next year that a one-day lift ticket is going to be $299, but you could get an Epic Pass will be $999, you simply do the math that if you ski 4 days, you’ve gotten your money’s worth getting the Epic Pass.

Between the two mountains, which are only about 15 minutes apart(in good weather), they offer so much terrain no matter what your level of skiing. You also have tremendous amenities available to you. I’m so glad I finally got the chance to ski there and that we had such great conditions. Would I go back, yes, definitely, especially if I had an Epic Pass. Would I go on a Saturday? Probably not. If you’re going on a ski trip and you’re choosing a destination, it’s important to understand what you want out of your ski vacation. If you are looking for a wide array of skiing terrain, luxurious accommodations and want to be right on the mountain, both Beaver Creek and Vail fit the bill. If you want to party, go to Vail. If you’re older or are going with a family go to Beaver Creek.

Thanks for taking the time to read our review. We’d love to hear your thoughts, so hit us up @skibumpodcast on either Facebook or Twitter.

Podcast #64 – We Pick Things Up and Put Them Down!

Sep 22 2016

Show Topic Info Aprés Today Mario: Sofie, Goose Island Brewing Co., Chicago, IL Belgian Style Farmehouse Ale : 6.5%ABV. Belgian Style Ale aged in wine barrels with citrus peel. Champagne color, white pepper aroma, citrus & vanilla flavor, sparkling body. Brian: Breaking Bud, Knee Deep Brewery, CA American IPA : 6.5%ABV. Citrus Resinous Hops over […]

2016-2017 Ski Movie Trailers

Updated – 9/16/16 – The weather’s cooling down, the days are getting shorter and a whole slew of trailers are available to enjoy!

You’ve earned this friends, so enjoy!

TGR’s New Movie – Tight Loose (Coming Fall 2016)

Come join us to celebrate TGR’s 21st Birthday. The tighter your show the looser you can be. With over 21 years of traveling the globe and pushing the boundaries of what is possible we have experienced the full spectrum of adventure. It has been a constant evolution of refining a lifestyle – keeping things as buttoned-up on the front end in order to seize the moment when things reach the edge of control. Our latest film “Tight Loose” is TGR’s highest achievement to date. From India to Alaska, come join us as we discover unridden spine walls, massive airs, and full throttle riding in some of the wildest and most spectacular places on earth. Witness the 21-year athlete roster as they come together for a reunion-style massive group shred of the Palisades at Squaw Valley. Tight Loose is living to the fullest!

 

Matchstick Productions – “Ruin and Rose” trailer

RUIN AND ROSE Official Trailer – 4K from mspfilms on Vimeo.

Acclaimed writer/director Ben Sturgulewski joins the award-winning team at Matchstick Productions and their two decades of filmmaking expertise to deliver “RUIN AND ROSE,” an epic creative vision brought to life by the talents of the world’s top skiers. Winter landscapes across the planet contrast seamlessly with a thoroughly-crafted story of environmental apocalypse, shot entirely within the incredible expanses of Africa’s otherworldly Skeleton Coast. Unlike anything seen before, the dreamlike setting of this film sparks the imagination of not only action sports enthusiasts, but anyone with a beating heart.

Presented by Under Armour in spectacular 4K resolution, “RUIN AND ROSE” features veterans and newcomers alike, including Mark Abma, Sammy Carlson, Markus Eder, Zack Giffin, Sander Hadley, Russ Henshaw, Eric Hjorleifson, Lukas Joas, Sean Jordan, Bene Mayr, Evan McEachran, Michelle Parker, Ole Pavel, Tanner Rainville, Austin Ross, Fabio Studer, Cody Townsend, Noah Wallace, and others. “RUIN AND ROSE” was filmed on location in Alaska, Austria, British Columbia, Bulgaria, California, France, Switzerland, and the breathtaking sands of Namibia.

 

Warren Miller’s – “Here, There and Everywhere” Teaser

It’s been 67 years since ski-film pioneer Warren Miller picked up a camera to capture the wonder, the adventure, the humor and the beauty that is skiing. Since that time, Warren Miller film crews have traveled the globe—from storied slopes to hidden, snow-covered corners—to celebrate all things snowsports. Their quest has taken powder-hungry filmgoers, well, Here, There & Everywhere—and this year continues that legacy.

In this 67th annual Warren Miller film, take a freeski adventure with industry veterans Ingrid Backstrom and Wendy Fisher in Crested Butte, tour Eastern Greenland by dog sled with Seth Wescott and Rob Kingwill and follow Jess McMillan and Grete Eliassen on a Swiss holiday aboard the Glacier Express. Explore the backcountry of Western Montana’s Glacier Country with Tyler Ceccanti, Collin Collins and Keith Curtis and catch a powder day with Kaylin Richardson, Matt Elliott, Marcus Caston and the Kicking Horse ski patrol in British Columbia.

Travel along as Warren Miller Entertainment commemorates Stein Eriksen in Deer Valley, captures the big air at Boston’s Fenway Park (yes, that Fenway Park!) and rides the steeps of Squaw Valley to the big lines of Cordova, Alaska, plus much more. This year, don’t miss original ski bum and filmmaker Warren Miller himself in on-screen interviews as he spins tales of the past as only Warren can do, reminding us that through the years, these films have truly taken audiences Here, There & Everywhere.

Good Company: Vice Versa Official Trailer

Tom Wallisch and the Good Company crew return with their first full-length film, Vice Versa, featuring world class urban, park and backcountry skiing, all with their trademark fun style. Come along with the crew as they travel throughout the US, Japan, BC and Quebec to showcase skiing in the best way possible.

Here and Now – 4FRNT

The sixth video iteration of Utah-based ski company 4FRNT, Here and Now is the showpiece for a team that features rail wizards, big mountain line-chasers and Olympic gold medalists.

In addition to Dave Wise’s mind-boggling hip jump, 4FRNT sends it to the corners of the globe in search of gnarly terrain and innovative freestyle features.

Disclaimer: If you don’t like skiing or having fun, then this isn’t the movie for you.

Be Inspired – Inspired Media

A two-year project from two of the most creative and unorthodox minds in the sport, BE Inspired is the brainchild of Henrik Harlaut and Phil Casabon.

A healthy dose of skate-inspired urban skiing with a dash of backcountry air time, the movie turned heads when it made its world debut last week in Quebec City.

Add to that an original soundtrack with never-before-heard tracks from the Wu-Tang’s Raekwon and producer Walshy Fire, and this might be the most unique ski film of the year.

Tanner Hall – Ring The Alarm Teaser

Ring the Alarm’ is a 2 year movie project featuring the skiing of skiing icon Tanner Hall and friends. The movie will document Tanner in the backcountry of British Columbia and Alaska while bringing you into his unique prospective of big mountain skiing.

Pleasure – Level 1

Always givers in the visual stimulation department, Level 1 brings it this year with an all-star cast of regulars like Will Wesson, Wiley Miller and Rob Heule, as well as a cast of upstarts like Khai Krepela and Mitchell Brower.

The Level 1 contingent found the beautiful balance between quirky urban, backcountry freestyle and big-line backcountry in Japan, Alaska and various other locations around the world in one of the biggest bright spots in ski cinema this year.

Insight: Official Trailer

Snowboard films are often born of homogeneity. It makes sense; any creative endeavor needs a theme to unite the work. Insight is a multifaceted project unified by diversity, and the title is quite literal: it is a look into the individuals, locations, and crews that comprise it. The aim is to delve into the lives of those involved, exposing the particular motivations each has to strap in—be it atop a stairset, powder field or couloir.

Between

Dedicated to the late, great Matilda Rapaport, “Between“ is a ladies centric ski film that focuses on the bonds formed in the moments between things.

Whether those things include sending big lines, traveling to foreign places, or meeting new people– these ladies explain how they each find meaning during a life spent on two planks.

Canvas

"Canvas" trailer from Blank Collective on Vimeo.

Canvas is an athlete driven ski film produce by Blank Collective.
Featuring: Alexi Godbout, Stan Rey, JF Houle, Josh Daiek, Vincent Gagnier, Alex Beaulieu-Marchand, Dean Bercovich, Dana Flahr and Maxim Arsenault.
Produced By: Alexi Godbout

Supervention 2

Supervention 2 is an inspiring documentary that explores the world of action sports through skiing and snowboarding. Experience the willpower and motivation it takes to conquer risk, fear and injuries. From the young and ambitious to the legends of back then, meet the athletes at the top of their sport who choose to risk everything. Supervention 2 takes you through all walks of life to experience what it’s like to leave behind normality of work and family life for the thrill of a lifetime. Filmed in unique locations with high-end 4K cinematography and innovative sound design, Supervention 2 is a feel-good adventure about those who live outside the box.

2015-2016 Ski Movie Trailers

It’s almost that time of year!! There’s one thing that has to happen for ski season begins and it’s the release of this seasons’ ski movie. Actually, two things have to happen, the movies have to be released, but before that, the trailers for those movies have to be released. We talked about this year’s trailers on a recent episode of the podcast, but this page is going to be a living document where we continue to add new trailers as they’re released. Please visit often and enjoy!

************ Updated 9/22 ***************

yes, it’s been a few weeks since we updated our list of trailers, but we’ve got some good ones, don’tchaknow!

We Ride In Iran: Salam Azizam teaser

February 2015, a bunch of swiss riders from the project “We ride in Iran” are traveling to Iran to meet their friend Sina Shamyani. Sina is a ski instructor from Tehran living his passion: skiing. Salam Azizam follows Sina and his iranian friends during a road trip around Iran. The movie, that will be online in November 2015, brings you inside the ski freeride community in a country full of contrasts. Living for skiing is universal.

We Ride In Iran: Salam Azizam teaser from Cause on Vimeo.

TRAILER: Whistler: 50 Years of Going Beyong (whistlerblackcomb.com)

For the last five decades, Whistler Blackcomb has left its mark on those who are drawn to the mountains. What started as a single Olympic dream in 1966 has evolved into the largest ski resort in North America, with a slew of accomplishments to back it up. From the resort’s adventure-seeking founders to its freestyle heydays-and breaking Guinness World Records along the way-snowsport industry legends recount the contributions that Whistler Blackcomb has made to skiing and snowboarding and the significance of its golden anniversary. But while 50 Years of Going Beyond solidifies the resort’s legacy in the past, there is no denying that the last 50 years is just the beginning.

TRAILER: We Trust Your Judgement

“We Trust Your Judgment is a filmmaker’s perspective reflecting the simple joys and hard work found in the process of creating a ski film.”

************ Updated 8/28 ***************

Warren Miller’s Chasing Shadows Official Trailer

“For the fall of 2015, Warren Miller Entertainment releases Chasing Shadows, the 66th annual winter sports film. Warren Miller once said, “A pair of skis are the ultimate transportation to freedom,” and this year, we’re chasing the world’s biggest names in skiing and snowboarding as they find that very freedom. Explore what it means to be inspired, and what it is about exotic locations and snow-covered summits that keep us searching for more. As skiers and snowboarders we chase a feeling, a memory, a storm, a turn — we’ve been chasing it our whole lives and we’ll keep chasing it a lifetime more.” – warrenmiller.com

Kyle Peterson’s “In Search”

“In Search” is a short film covering a skier seeking adventures into deep backcountry zones on skis and showcasing a fun and innovative approach to riding all aspects of the mountain. From ski-touring technical pillow lines, to hitting tricky natural hits, to free riding deep spine lines and spending cold nights camped out in pursuit of remote peaks. This project will take a look into the all around progression of freeriding all types of backcountry terrain.”- Inspired Media

Teton Gravity Research – Paradies Waits

“For those who anticipate winter’s arrival with frothing mouths and the dreams of what may come,this past year came with an unfamiliar set of struggles as these perfect moments became more and more elusive. But for the TGR team, this only hardened their pursuit of winter’s rewards.” tetongravity.com

Legs of Steel – The Passenger

Superproof – The Masquerade

THE MASQUERADE [2015] – Trailer #1 from SUPER PROOF on Vimeo.

4Frnt – Sharing Skiing

“The magic feet, the long shoes, the slippery sticks we manufacture then bolt, strap and heli-coil ourselves onto. These are the peacemakers of humanity and mother nature. Without them, we have limitations, with them, we have none. Newcomer urban skier Cam Riley joins the likes of Kye Petersen, Wiley Miller, David Wise, Eric Hjorleifson and Thayne Rich in 4FRNT’s 5th annual feature team film, Shaping Skiing.” 4frnt.com

Shaping Skiing Trailer from 4FRNT Skis on Vimeo.

The Bunch – Finito

The Bunch – FINITO° early trailer from The Bunch on Vimeo.

Warren Miller – Chasing Shadows

No trailer yet, but…
UPDATE – 8/12

Sneak Peak U.S. Freestyle Ski Team

tour dates have been posted

Tamashii

“Overwhelmed with the hyper-connectivity of the modern world, a group of friends embark on a journey to Japan in search of powder snow and good times – a quest to find and experience the ever-fabled ‘moment’.” reelhouse.org

Swatch Degrees North – North Face

“In March, Xavier de le Rue and Samuel Anthamatten travelled to Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, situated halfway between continental Norway and the North Pole to film the next mission, ‘Degrees North’. The idea was for Xavier and Samuel to use paramotors to access and ride incredible lines, never before ridden in the remote locations of the Atomfjiella region in Svalbard. Second part of the movie will be filmed this winter and will see Ralph Backstrom joining the crew, to discover a new zone in Alaska.” timelinemissions.com

Podcast #9 – Kickstarter

May 15 2015

The bums are back and they are discussing crowdfunding websites, including Kickstarter, CrowdSupply and IndieGoGo. Hosts: Brian, Mario Weekly Flavor: Mario: Gin and Tonic Brian: Gin and Tonic Show Notes: New Models from HG Skis – Kickstarter GogglePal – Kickstarter RideOn Goggles – IndieGoGo Otium Softrack Gambitious Montclair Bread Company – Kickstarter uKeg – Kickstarter […]

Podcast #8 – Ischgl, Austria

May 8 2015

The bums are back and they are recapping their amazing trip to Ischgl, Austria. Hosts: Brian, Mario Weekly Flavor: Mario: Founder’s – Rübaeus Brian: Oskar Blues – Gubna Show Notes Ischgl Austria Trail Map http://www.onthesnow.com/tyrol/ischgl/trailmap.html Rugby players have teeth replaced with implanted bottle openers http://www.fastcocreate.com/3045712/a-beer-brand-gave-a-bottle-opener-tooth-implant-to-rugby-players-with-missing-teeth Summer only ski area – Beartooth Basin – not be […]

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